Importing files from Sente

Hello, here is my experience with migrating a fairly big library from Sente (3000+ references, 1400 attached files). The chosen path has been to export all references from within Sente as BibTex, and then importing that into Zotero.
It works fairly well for most all data. There are a few hitches:
- as yet, there is no choice to leave the files where they are and import just the relative link (see distinct thread: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/35435/files-under-base-directory-copied-not-linked-during-import/).
- notes don't get imported (see distinct thread: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/37120/importing-notes-from-sente/)
- Zotero manages to import attached (local) files, but only the first of them if there are several attachments.

Sample bibtex data below. Any suggestions welcome.
  • @article{3551,
    author = {Hood, C.},
    title = {A Public Management for All Seasons?},
    journal = {Public Administration},
    uuid = {0623ADA2-8E30-4C84-AA65-613B16C39A36},
    volume = {69},
    number = {1},
    pages = {3-19},
    address = {London},
    year = {1991},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management%20public/Hood%201991%20a%20public%20management%20for%20all%20seasons.pdf,Sente,},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management%20public/Hood%201991%20a%20public%20management%20for%20all%20seasons.pptx,Sente,},
    url = {},
    keywords = {Management public},
    Primary_contributor_role = {Author},
    Citation_identifier = {Hood 1991},
    publicationStatus = {Unknown},
    notes = {(11) (8) (5) Not necessarily opposites(12) (6) Other cults at other moments (governance)!(15) (12) (13) (15) (5) (8) (5) (7) (8) (6) (6)}
    }
    @book{Boyer:LeMondeQuiAChangeLaMachine:2006,
    author = {Boyer, Robert and Freyssenet, Michel},
    title = {Le Monde qui a chang\'{e} la machine. Essai dinterpr\'{e}tation dun si\`{e}cle dhistoire automobile. Quatorze textes pr\'{e}paratoires},
    uuid = {C047E0EF-BBAB-443E-9A57-665387F67899},
    publisher = {GERPISA},
    year = {2006},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2006%20Le%20mode%CC%80le%20Sloanien%20a-t-il%20e%CC%81te%CC%81%20le%20ONE%20BEST%20WAY%20des%20trente%20glorieuses.pdf,Sente,},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2014%20Les%20strate%CC%81gies%20de%20profit%20et%20les%20performances%20des%20firmes%20automobiles.%20Une%20analyse%20statique-%201965-1994.pdf,Sente,14. les stratégies de profit et les performances des firmes automobiles. une analyse statistique : 1965-1994},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2013%20Glossaire.pdf,Sente,13. GLOSSAIRE DES NOTIONS ÉLABORÉES},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2012%20Dix%20enseignements%20d%27un%20sie%CC%80cle%20d%27histoire%20automobile%2C%20a%CC%80%20propos%20des%20mode%CC%80les%20productifs.pdf,Sente,12. dix enseignements d’un siècle d’histoire automobile, à propos des modèles productifs},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2011%20Les%20the%CC%81ories%20ne%20s%27usent%20que%20si%20l%27on%20s%27en%20sert...%20un%20peu%20de%20prospective.pdf,Sente,11. Les théories ne s’usent que si l’on s’en sert... un peu de prospective},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2010%20Le%20tournant%20des%20anne%CC%81es%2090%20feu%20de%20l%27irre%CC%81sistible%20japonisation%20des%20firmes.pdf,Sente,10. Le tournant des années 90, feu l’irrésistible japonisation des firmes, l’offensive libérale},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2009%20Rien%20n%27est%20de%CC%81finitif%2C%20tout%20mode%CC%80le%20productif%20a%20des%20limites.pdf,Sente,09. Rien n’est définitif, tout modèle productif a des limites 1986-1992},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2008%20Non%20pas%20un...%20mais%20trois%20mode%CC%80les%20productifs%2C%201974-1985.pdf,Sente,08. non pas un... mais trois modèles productifs, 1974-1985},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2007%20La%20crise%20du%20mode%CC%80le%20Sloanien%20aux%20Etats-Unis%2C%20et%20l%27affirmation%20de%20deux%20nouveaux%20mode%CC%80les%20au%20Japon%201967-1973.pdf,Sente,07. la crise du modèle sloanien aux Etats-Unis et l’affirmation de deux nouveaux modèles au Japon},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2006%20Le%20mode%CC%80le%20Sloanien%20a-t-il%20e%CC%81te%CC%81%20le%20ONE%20BEST%20WAY%20des%20trente%20glorieuses.pdf,Sente,06. le modèle sloanien a-t-il été le one best way des trente glorieuses?},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2005%20La%20diversite%CC%81%20des%20modes%20de%20croissance%20nationaux%20de%20l%27apre%CC%80s%20guerre.pdf,Sente,05. la diversité des modes de croissance nationaux de l’après-guerre},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2004%20General%20Motors%20et%20Chrysler%20surpassent%20Ford.pdf,Sente,04. General Motors et Chrysler surpassent Ford en inventant de nouveaux systèmes de production 1920-1939},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2003%20Les%20mode%CC%80les%20productifs%20que%20le%20syste%CC%80me%20de%20production%20Ford%20n%27a%20pas%20fait%20disparai%CC%82tre.pdf,Sente,03. Les modèles productifs que Ford n’a pas fait disparaître, ou l’introuvable production artisanale},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2002%20Le%20syste%CC%80me%20de%20production%20Ford%20et%20sa%20crise%20pre%CC%81coce.pdf,Sente,02. LE SYSTÈME DE PRODUCTION FORD ET SA CRISE PRÉCOCE, 1908-1939},
    sentelink = {file://localhost/Users/janmattijs/Documents/Documents%20externes/Papiers/Management/Boyer%20Freyssenet%202008%2001%20La%20Production%20au%20plus%20juste%20dans%20un%20monde%20de%20libre-e%CC%81change.pdf,Sente,01. la «production au plus juste» dans un monde de libre-échange serait-elle l’avenir?},
    url = {http://freyssenet.com/?q=node/655},
    keywords = {Organisation du travail},
    tags = {Organisation du travail},
    Citation_identifier = {Boyer 2006a},
    publicationStatus = {Unknown}
    }
  • We might be able to work around this, but it seems like something that we should prod sente about. Having repeated tags/fields in BibTeX can lead to other breakage. There files should be listed under a single field, as JabRef does.
  • while noksagt is right that Sente shouldn't be doing this, allowing this has no cost for Zotero (especially since we're treating sentelink attachments separately anyway), so I fixed the translator up to allow this for Sente.
    Your version of Zotero will automatically update within 24hs, or you can update manually using the "Update Now" button in the "General" tab of the Zotero preferences.
  • edited June 2, 2014
    Guys, you are incredible...
    I just tested with a book reference with 14 chapters attached. it works!
    Thank you very much.

    Jan
  • edited June 2, 2014
    UPDATE: In fact I did manage to import ALL attachments *as links*, thanks to an extension by Emiliano.Heyns. See this thread: http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/31124/import-with-attachment-location/

    So my issue regarding attached files is now entirely solved!

    Best,
    Jan
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